Hope is Not Lost
by Katia0203
Summary: "This feels familiar...but why? I can't remember." A woman forgets her past and wonders what her future holds as trouble brews in Middle Earth during the War of the Ring. AN: rewriting, last update: 2/29/12
1. Chapter Er

So yeah…this story is going under some revision, considering I believe it to be mediocre and in need of some work. Hopefully I can complete this and, if I'm up to it, continue. So if there are any readers out there, this story is going to be much improved from its former state.

"Katherine! Over here!"

Katherine Montgomery looked over to see her best guy friend, Jeff, calling her over to sit next to him at lunch. She smiled to herself. She knew what he was going to do. It was her birthday, and every year he did the same thing.

"I'll be right there, Jeff! I have to ask Janine a question!" Katherine yelled over to Jeff.

Putting on a face of mock disappointment, he nodded and decided to go over in his head what he was going to do. He would surprise Katherine this year with something different then he usually did, which was sing his crazy rendition of happy birthday, give her another simple but unique gift, and pinch her the amount of times her new age was. He thought that they were old enough to move on to something more mature, although he wasn't sure if she would like it or not.

It was Katherine's 21st birthday, and both she and Jeff were juniors at the University of Minnesota. Katherine was striving to become a journalist, and she was quite on her way to becoming one. She showed her true potential, and whenever a teacher read her stuff, they would encourage Katherine to keep on writing. However, Katherine struggled to meet due dates for assignments because she believed it needed to be the best it could be, no matter how long it took…this led to her grades suffering somewhat, but she cared more about the quality than the grade itself.

Jeff wanted to become a marine biologist. He was fascinated with the ocean and its many wonders, and he wanted to learn as much as he could. The teachers realized that he truly was passionate about studying the ocean and had a promising future.

Katherine had dark brown hair that sometimes looked red in the sun, and it was a little over shoulder-length. She was slender, but not shapely, thin, or stunning like some of those models in magazines; Katherine didn't want to be like them anyway. She was about 5'6", and had brown eyes with flecks of green, which made them hazel. Her skin was tanned from running track, and freckles dotted her cheeks.

Jeff was about 6'2" with brown hair and light blue eyes, and was muscular since he played on the college football team. He didn't like to sit with the other players because he never really felt like he was popular enough to fit in with them. His skin was also tan, but a little darker than Katherine's.

"Hey Janine, did you…um…break it off with Ryan today?" Katherine asked cautiously.

Janine sighed. "Yeah…he kind of just stared at me, and then he grimly nodded at me and said 'It's probably for the best'. I think he knew it was coming anyway since I've been acting kind of distant. Even though I know I did the right thing by breaking it off with him, it still makes me feel guilty, you know? I feel like he was really in love with me and that I broke his heart."

"Well, at least he didn't blow up in your face and start swearing at you or anything," Katherine added, trying to look on the bright side. "Breakups are never easy."

"I suppose you're right about that," Janine said thoughtfully.

"Well, I have to go meet Jeff. It's my birthday, and you know what he does every year," Katherine said with a smirk on her face.

That seemed to lighten Janine's mood. "Yeah, you'd better get over there before he starts yelling at you," she said with a small smile.

"See ya later in class, Janine"

"Okay, bye hun."

Katherine walked over to Jeff with a feeling of excitement. _Birthdays are always fun!_ she thought, giggling like a little girl.

"Hey Katherine! Happy birthday!" Jeff exclaimed with a broad grin on his face, giving her a bear hug.

Katherine pushed him away jokingly, as he was purposely crushing her. "Thanks Jeff! Now, what "surprise" awaits me?" Katherine asked, grinning expectantly and tensing for the pinches she was sure would ensue.

"Well, you'll just have to wait, because I'm not giving it to you until after school," Jeff said mischievously. _I can torture her a little while, can't I?_ Jeff thought.

"Do I really have to wait that long?" Katherine whined mockingly, but wondering what exactly he was planning. _Maybe the pinches come later?_

"Yep." was all Jeff said in reply, the goofy grin still on his face.

"Well okay, fine then. So…how has your day been going Jeff?" Katherine said, changing the subject as to get her to stop thinking about her surprise.

"Pretty good. I got my Biology of the Great Barrier Reef report back."

"How did you do?"

Jeff's cheeks turned faintly red. They always did when he was telling her what a teacher said. "It wasn't really that big of a deal…" Katherine gave him a look. "Ok fine…Professor Romar praised it at length, saying it was the best work she had seen in years, and that I had a successful future ahead of me…if I kept up the hard work," He looked down as if his shoes were the most interesting thing in the room.

"Jeff, why do you get so embarrassed when you accomplish something? You should be proud of yourself for doing well!" Katherine said, putting a hand on his shoulder and giving it a comforting squeeze.

Jeff looked up at her, "I know…I'm just not one of those people who is comfortable gloating over stuff like this. I mean it's great and I am happy, but there are more important things in life than grades". He gave her a genuine smile, his eyes twinkling. Katherine was a little unsure of what his eyes were trying to say. "Like my birthday?" she joked, trying to play it down a bit. Jeff nodded with a wink and left, heading back to his apartment to get Katherine's gift.

After school was out, Katherine raced to her place and waited impatiently until his class was done. By this time, she was bursting at the seams with excitement, and she couldn't wait to find out what it was he was giving her. It seemed like maybe it would be different this year, since Jeff was acting differently. Then she saw him walking towards her with a box in his hand.

"Hey Katherine. Waiting been too hard on you?"Jeff teased.

"No! Well, maybe just a little," Katherine admitted, a guilty smile on her face.

"Let's go over to Kolger park. I know you love going there."

"That would be great, Jeff." Katherine said, barely able to contain her excitement, but trying to hide it.

When they got there, they found a little bench that was away from the path and the noise of the little kids playing. Jeff pulled out the box and handed it to her.

"I hope you like it. I wanted to make sure it was special," Jeff said nervously.

Katherine opened the box, and what she saw made her gasp. Inside the box was the very journal that she had excitedly been pointing at in a magazine while her and Jeff were studying a few weeks ago. The thing she loved about it was on the cover, embroidered letters said, "To Katherine, on her 21st birthday. All my love, Jeff" There was also additional written words embroidered in the background, in a language she thought she recognized but didn't expect Jeff to even know.

She looked up at Jeff, and pointed to the Sindarin script. "I didn't know you knew any elvish." Katherine said fascinated. "I thought I was the only "Lord of the Rings" fan.

"It's Sindarin, not elvish," he replied. Katherine looked at him disbelievingly, an eyebrow raised. "Well I don't actually know anything," Jeff admitted. "I went online and looked up "elvish words" and that's what came up".

"Do you know what the words mean?"

Jeff nodded, "They mean something like, 'May your future be full of happiness', at least I hope so since that's what the website said." He seemed unsure, but his fears disappeared when Katherine smiled.

She looked down again, at the ending of the message that said 'All my love, Jeff'. "What does this mean, Jeff?" Katherine asked warily. He had never signed anything he had given to her, like cards and such, with that phrase included. Generally he just said "Your best friend" or something to that effect.

Jeff looked at her, and took her hand. In his eyes she saw a familiar sparkle, the one she saw earlier. She additionally saw he was nervous.

"Katherine, look. I've known you since we were freshmen in college, and we've been great friends ever since," He looked down for a moment, seemingly to gather his thoughts, and continued, "The thing is, and I hope I don't freak you out, is that my feelings for you have grown into something more," He looked back up and into her eyes, and she saw intensity there, "Katherine, I want to be... more than just friends." Jeff said, full of emotion and sincerity, "I want to be with you".

_Think Katherine, think!_ In the few seconds it took her to reflect, she knew that she felt the same way but hadn't realized it until faced with his admission. _I am going to tell him the truth._

She looked up into Jeff's eyes again. They were full of hope. "Jeff, I...I think I feel the same way," Katherine said shakily. "No, I _know_ I do."

Jeff's eyes lit up with happiness. "Really? Truly?" he asked, hoping he had heard correctly.

"Yea Jeff, truly." was all she replied before leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. Jeff turned her head so she was kissing him on the lips. She felt a warmth creep up and down her body. _Woah, isn't this a little fast?_ Katherine's mind tried to reason with her. _I mean, I thought we just decided to try to be more than just friends. Well, it feels nice, at least. Should I allow it? Looks like it, seeing as I'm still kissing him!_ Katherine thought all of this as he kissed her, which were some of the most wonderful seconds of her life. When they broke apart, Jeff looked down sheepishly, cheeks turning red.

"I'm so sorry, Katherine. I didn't even ask if that was okay. Was that too fast? I should have thought first," Jeff said, looking down the whole time.

"No-no really...it's okay. I was just a little surprised, that's all." Katherine stammered, a goofy smile on her face.

They looked at each other for a few moments, and Katherine contently sighed. _Wow, how much luck do I have, to be with such a man?_

Suddenly they both noticed the wind started to pick up. "This is odd," Katherine said, her brow creasing in confusion. "Is there a storm coming?"

Jeff shook his head, "The sky is clear…I'm not really sure what's going on".

A huge gust of wind hit them, and the bench was knocked over. They both flew off the bench and onto the grass. Katherine looked over at Jeff to see if he was all right, but a strange fog was gathering. _Am I moving?_ Katherine thought wildly. Jeff seemed to be getting further away from her. "Jeff, what's happening?"

"Katherine! Katherine come back!" Jeff yelled, but he seemed distant and far away.

Then she felt an enormous tingling sensation all over her body, the wind whirling around her, and everything went black.


	2. Chapter Atta

A/N: My revisions continue! Hope you like these new updates, for there are many! (3/5/2010)

_Whoa, my head hurts!_ Katherine thought to herself.

There was a throbbing pain on the left side of her head, and when she tried to move her hand up to feel it, she recoiled back, since her arm was also screaming in protest. Katherine kept her eyes closed, for she had no recollection as to where she was, or what she was doing, and she was slightly afraid of what she'd see. In addition, she could feel herself drifting off to sleep and back out again. _No, no matter how much I don't want to, I need to open my eyes_! she finalized.

Not too far away, a man was walking, tired and annoyed. He had lost his horse while journeying and had become very sick of walking. It had put him behind schedule, and he wanted to talk to Lord Elrond as soon as possible to figure out the riddle of his dream. He looked forward toward the road, and he saw something strange off to the left hear a large tree. A foot with an odd-looking shoe was sticking out of the long grass. _What on earth?_

He cautiously approached the area and saw a woman dressed in foreign clothing lying on the ground. "What is a lady doing here?" he mumbled to himself. His instincts told him to be cautious; even the most innocent-looking creatures could be spies.

Suddenly the woman opened her eyes, and then shielded her face from the light, grimacing. She tried to sit up, but immediately lowered her head back down. Against his better judgment, the man walked over to her and bent down.

"Milady? Milady, are you all right?"

Katherine groaned, and opened her eyes to see a pair of pale gray ones staring, warily, down at her. Katherine was startled, and quickly backed away, despite the protests of her head and arm, eyes wide.

"Wait, milady please. I will not harm you. I just wish to know who you are, and why you are lying in the middle of the woods," the man said cautiously, still not quite trustworthy.

Katherine's eyes were full of fear. She was overwhelmed by her unfamiliarity of her surroundings and the fact that a strange man in strange clothing was speaking to her. "Wh-who are you?" she said shakily.

"Ah, I will need your name first, since it is not often that a lady in strange garb is found in the middle of the woods," he replied.

Trying to calm her breathing, Katherine said, "My name is Katherine…" The man found this name unfamiliar in the human race, but he let it go. For now.

"My name is Boromir." He left out his title, still wondering if he could trust her. For all he knew, this innocent-looking woman could have strange powers given to her by the enemy.

Katherine stared, her brow furrowing. _Why does this name sound familiar? Have I met him before?_ "R-really?" Katherine stammered, still fearful.

"Do you believe me?" Boromir eyed her, trying to figure out what she was thinking.

_This isn't happening. I must be dreaming._ _Where am I? _Boromir saw her pinch herself and wince. "Is this a dream?" she said, with confusion and disbelief in her eyes.

Boromir didn't really know what to say. "Nay milady, this is indeed reality".

In shock, Katherine did what any normal person in this situation would do.

She ran.

Boromir moved quickly, chasing after her in exasperation. Unfortunately for this woman, she was running unsteadily due to potential injuries. She tripped and landed ungracefully on the ground. She cradled her aching head and rolled on her back, too exhausted to move and in pain.

He realized that whether she was a spy or not, she should at least be given some help in terms of her health. Boromir cautiously approached her, "Milady, I do not wish to harm you. You seem to be wounded, and I wish to help. Will you let me?"

Katherine didn't really have the energy to protest, so she just weakly nodded.

Boromir poured some water onto a cloth he had in his traveling satchel and put it on her forehead. He saw her hazel eyes staring at him, confusion and exhaustion swirling within.

"This isn't happening," she whispered.

"What isn't happening?" Boromir questioned softly. He still had no idea why she was so confused and shocked, but it could be due to the fact that she was in the middle of the woods.

Instead of answering, she sat up. Well, she _tried _to sit up, but promptly fell back down with a cry and cradled her right arm. "Milady, you are hurt", Boromir said. "Let go of your arm Lady Katherine," he coaxed, but she shook her head vigorously. "I cannot help you if you refuse," Boromir said, slightly impatient.

Katherine gently let him take a look at her arm. He noticed that there was already bruising on her tricep, where the bone might have fractured. _Thank goodness the bone is not protruding from her skin._ He gently cleaned the area where there was evidence of some minor scrapes and helped her sit up. He took one of his shirts and ripped it, much to Katherine's protest ("You didn't have to ruin your clothes!") and fashioned a sling for her. It was the best he could do until she could see a healer in Rivendell.

"Are you able to stand?" Boromir asked. It would make traveling a lot easier if he didn't have to carry this woman.

Katherine nodded, "I think so. Just help me slowly stand up please." They slowly rose from the ground. She felt dizzy for a moment, but her vision cleared. After taking a few hesitant steps, she continued to walk on her own, albeit slowly and cautiously.

Boromir gently stopped her from walking any further. "Before we go anywhere, I need to know how you came to be here and where you hail from".

Katherine froze. _What am I supposed to tell him? I don't remember! _Therefore, she winged it. "I have no idea how I got here, to be honest. Somehow I ended up here, in a place that is very unfamiliar to me". She furrowed her brow, an image flitting through her mind of a man with twinkling blue eyes, and the name "Jeff" echoing through her mind.

Eyes widening, she gasped, "Jeff…oh no oh no oh no…" Katherine remembered him and somehow knew that he had been with her before she arrived, but still could not recall where exactly that was.

"Milady, may I ask who this 'Jeff' is?"

Tears of panic and worry started to well up because she had no idea where he was. _Is he here in the woods? _There was no way of knowing.

Noticing her change of emotion, Boromir gave her a moment to collect herself.

Katherine swallowed thickly, a lump in her throat, "He is a good friend of mine…I fear something similar to my experience has happened to him."

Boromir nodded, unsure of what to make of that, and asked her the inevitable question. "Where are you from?"

"I-I do not know, Boromir. I cannot remember!" Katherine began to panic, terrified that she could not recall where she was from. "But something tells me it is not around here," looking down at her clothes.

Boromir was completely dumbfounded. "Then how on earth did you end up here?"

Katherine shook her head in exasperation, "I don't know!" They both sighed in frustration, and Boromir, knowing there was nothing they could do to solve the mystery at present, reluctantly decided to allow Katherine to accompany him to Rivendell. "There is an Elf Lord that may be able to help shed some light on the matter, and he resides where my destination is; would you be willing to come along as well?"

Katherine felt excitement start to stir within her, wondering what this new place would bring. Abruptly an image of a valley with buildings of great beauty flashed into her mind. _I wonder what that was all about?_ "If that is where I shall find my answers in addition to getting healed, then that is where I want to go".

Nodding, Boromir led the way, trying to keep a slower but efficient pace as not to overexert Katherine. They spoke little at first, wrapped up in their thoughts concerning the current situation.

Katherine was astonished and had no idea what to think. _Why am I here? What is my purpose? Where did I come from? Where is Jeff? I have all these questions that I don't have the answers to! All I know is that this man seems to be dressed in what I would consider "odd" clothing, but I'm not sure why, since my clothing seems odd to him. Is my clothing unusual for this area? Hopefully I can find some answers._

Boromir's mind was full of questions and thoughts as well. _How does a maiden from some unknown and potentially distant land end up near the Misty Mountains on a path to Rivendell? Did someone kidnap her and leave her here for dead? Was she drugged to the point where she did not awaken until now? _Boromir was beginning to doubt that she was a spy of the enemy, because she looked genuinely confused and overwhelmed by the whole predicament_. And what of her friend? Could he have been the kidnapper? Or was he left behind? _

Near sunset, they stopped to set up camp in a small grove of trees. A creek was nearby, and Boromir refilled his water skin. Pulling out a cup, he poured some water for Katherine, who nodded gratefully. They ate in continued silence, sharing some bread and dried fruit.

Suddenly Katherine felt a wave of sadness. She felt like there were people she should be missing, people that she cared for. However, no people came to mind except for Jeff. She wondered if she had a family that was wondering where she was, desperately searching for her.

Boromir looked over and saw her sad expression. He knew that if he were in her shoes, he would be struggling with keeping it together and not letting his confusion and grief take over. He noticed her odd clothing again and shook his head. She was wearing some sort of shirt with a hood on it, like a cloak combined with a warm tunic. Her pants were very odd, a dark blue color with a fabric he had never seen before. Her shoes looked like odd-colored boots with laces. It seemed to him that her outfit was more for comfort than beauty, yet hardly appropriate for a lady. He suspected she had a slender build, but it was hard to tell from her choice of outfit. He looked up and saw her staring back. Blushing, he turned away and focused on examining how much food and supplies were left. They had barely enough to get to Rivendell, considering he hadn't thought he would be on foot or with an extra companion.

Katherine took in Boromir's outfit, and decided it seemed to 'fit him'. He wore a blue tunic with dark pants under a sturdy leather vest. He had thick, practical leather boots and a warm but light cloak. His sword was strapped to the belt he was wearing, which she noticed also held a dagger. Katherine wondered if there were other hidden weapons on his person. He had a strong build with broad shoulders, and his hair was shoulder-length and dark brown. He had a short beard which currently was unkempt but she suspected he kept it well-groomed when not traveling.

Once the sun had set, Boromir went about to find somewhere to sleep. It was then he realized he of course only had one bedroll. He was about to offer it to her but she spoke first, "Boromir, you take the bedroll. I am perfectly fine sleeping on the ground, as long as you have an extra blanket I could use?' Boromir began to protest, but she shut him up with a look. "It's ok, the ground is flat and grassy."

"Milady, since I am taking first watch, you can sleep in my bedroll until I wake you for second watch, and then we will switch." Katherine nodded, and that was that.

The night was uneventful and they continued their journey onward. They spoke a little about Boromir's family to pass the time. She was fascinated by his descriptions, and something made her wonder if there was more to this man than it seemed.

"Boromir, may I ask you a question?"

"Certainly Lady Katherine," he replied with a nod.

"The way you talk about your family and your life makes me wonder…are you some sort of royalty?"

Boromir chuckled lightly, realizing that it probably wasn't very hard to deduce that considering how detailed he had spoken. "Indeed I am. I am the son of the Steward of Gondor, who is the leader of that land."

"Gondor…where is Gondor?" Katherine asked. Something was tickling the back of her mind, like she should know where and what this kingdom was, yet it eluded her.

A small, reflective smile adorned his face, "Gondor is a land in the south, a great kingdom spanning many leagues. Minas Tirith is the main city, which is where I live. It is quite a sight to behold, and its beauty difficult to capture in words." He looked at Katherine curiously, "Does the name sound familiar to you?" _Perhaps she resides there?_

"Maybe…somehow it sounds familiar."

Boromir nodded, noticing that her appearance suggested she could be a Gondorian. _Well, except for her ridiculous clothes of course._

It was about late afternoon, and the sun was peeking in and out of the clouds. They were discussing nothing in particular when Boromir suddenly noticed the forest had become very quiet. Too quiet. Boromir tensed, and told Katherine to climb up the nearest tree.

"Boromir, why do you want me to-"

"Just do it. I fear there is something foul afoot and I need you to be out of the way and safe", Boromir said sternly. Katherine nodded and, finding a larger, sturdy tree with many branches and leaves to conceal her, climbed up and waited.

Boromir waited, tense and with his sword in hand. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of dull silver, and turned to face a small band of orcs. The first one was quickly taken care of, as he was not expecting the full force and speed of a fine swordsman. He spun and ducked the blow which would have decapitated him, killing said orc by running him through. He turned again and threw himself to the right to dodge the incoming attack, and then spun and slashed the attacker. The last orc was tricky and fast, dodging Boromir's attacks and forcing him to combat with his sword, blades clashing. After a struggle, the orc lunged, but this left the right side of the orc's abdomen exposed, and Boromir quickly stabbed, narrowly escaping what could have been a deadly blow.

Boromir carefully looked around, ready to attack any other orcs, but after a few moments, he felt safe enough to call Katherine down and clean and sheath his sword. Katherine landed on the ground, pale and shaky. "Katherine, are you all right?"

She didn't respond sitting on a nearby log to comprehend what had just happened. "Katherine? You are safe now, and I promise to keep things that way until we arrive". Boromir carefully asked, "Do you trust me to keep you safe?"

Katherine nodded again and said, "Y-yes, yes I do". She looked at him and her hazel eyes were full of fear.

Boromir kneeled down to her eye level, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know this is difficult, and seeing death for the first time is never easy. We will be in Rivendell by tomorrow afternoon, and until then, you are under my protection. If you need to talk about this, I am ready to listen".

Katherine nodded, "Maybe later".

Boromir stood and took her hand to help her up. Katherine stayed close to him the rest of the day.

It was night, and Boromir kept a close watch as Katherine slept. Meanwhile, Katherine dreamt:

_In her dream, she saw two middle-aged adults…perhaps her parents? No matter how hard she tried, she could not quite reach them. Then, she saw Jeff. He was standing there, smiling. Katherine smiled back, and tried to move towards him. Unfortunately she was unable, and his smile turned into a look of sadness and grief._

_"Jeff!" Katherine yelled to him in her dream. All that happened was he shook his head, and walked away. "Jeff! No, come back!" Katherine pleaded, tears threatening to spill over her eyelids. "I need to talk to you! I need you!" There was a flash of gold and green, and he was gone._

Boromir heard Katherine shifting where she slept, and he heard her mutter the name "Jeff" and the words "I need you". Looking closer, he saw tears on her cheeks. He sat back down and pondered. _Who is this Jeff? She referred to him as a good friend. Could he be something more? Her lover? Husband?_ Boromir shook his head to rid his mind of these thoughts. It was none of his business, and unless Katherine chose to speak of it, he would forget about it.


	3. Chapter Nelde

And the revisions continue! (3/6/10) **I would not recommend reading beyond any chapters that talk about revisions. They will not make sense because they will not coincide well with what changes I am making.**

Katherine and Boromir arrived in Rivendell late the next morning. As they approached the outer borders, an elf stopped them. "Strangers, where do you hail from and what is your purpose?"

Boromir spoke, "I am Boromir, son of Denethor, Steward of Gondor, and this is Lady Katherine of a land yet unknown. We are here seeking answers to dreams and mysteries".

The elf nodded, confused by "a land yet unknown" but chose to ignore it, "Very well, follow me." They followed him for about an hour, and there it was…the House of Elrond and the rest of Rivendell. Katherine's eyes went wide; it was the most beautiful thing she had seen in her entire life, and she had to stop herself from gaping by continuing to walk. She glanced over and noticed a similar look of wonder on Boromir's face. The elf glanced back and smiled. "It is quite beautiful to behold is it not?" All they could do was nod.

Katherine could not stop staring, and suddenly she remembered the image from earlier that had flashed before her eyes. _It was of this place! Yet I do not remember seeing it before…have I been here?_

They approached the main portion of the city and were greeted by a she-elf named Tenueth. "Welcome to Imaldris my lord and lady. I was instructed to find you rooms in which you will live during your stay here, and was told that you should rest. Lord Elrond will wish to speak to you later tonight after sunset", she smiled and asked them to follow her.

Tenueth led them to their individual rooms which were about 4 doors apart. The path was a little complicated, and Katherine knew it would take a while before she remembered how to get to her room and to get to anywhere in Rivendell for that matter.

"Here you are Lord Boromir," Tenueth said. "Your maidservant Kaliena will be in shortly to speak with you". Boromir nodded and waved goodbye before closing the door.

"And here you are my lady," Tenueth said, opening the door. Katherine gasped; the room was beautiful. Simple, but beautiful. A double bed was placed horizontally in the upper left corner, with soft, white sheets and a comforter embroidered with flowers. A chest she assumed had clothing in it already was to her right as they walked in the door. It was made of a deep mahogany and was intricately designed. A bathroom was in the upper right corner, and at the moment she couldn't see inside but she assumed it had a bathtub, a looking glass of some sort, and a chamber pot at the very least. A coffee table sat next to a comfy-looking chair on her left, which currently had a vase full of beautiful flowers that looked like lilies.

"Tenueth…it is beautiful! You must thank whoever designed this room!"

Tenueth smiled, "I will make sure to do so". Another she-elf entered the room. Tenueth turned to introduce her, "Katherine, this is Mereneth; she is going to be your maidservant during your stay here. She is also a skilled healer and will tend to your wounds so you are well."

Katherine blushed, "Oh there is no need, I can take care of everything-"

Mereneth cut her off, "'Tis my pleasure Lady Katherine. I enjoy my work, and I hope we can become friends while you are here?"

Katherine smiled, "I would like that very much".

"Let us take a look at you and see what ails you," Mereneth murmured. She gently examined Katherine, noticing the potentially broken arm and a knot on her head where she probably knocked it. She also had some general scrapes and cuts. Mereneth was tempted to ask where all of these injuries came from, but refrained because they hardly knew each other. After binding her arm, she instructed Katherine to rest it, "After examining it, I do not think it is broken. It just needs rest, so take care to wear this sling and avoid use of it if you can. The binding is waterproof, so you can bathe without fear of it coming off or going bad." She handed Katherine some tea leaves, "These can be brewed for your pain."

Katherine nodded to all of this, "Thank you so much Mereneth, I feel much better."

"You are very welcome milady. Is there anything else you need at the moment?" Mereneth asked. "If you wish to rest, there are some nightgowns in the top drawer of the chest".

"No, I don't think I need anything right now, but thanks for asking," Katherine said, still smiling from before.

"Then I will take my leave. Come find me or ask a maidservant if you see one in the hall and she will get me the message if you need anything," Mereneth said, and then left, closing the door behind her.

Katherine sighed happily as she looked around the room, walking over to the window and looking out. She was above a courtyard, and out in the distance were waterfalls and trees she had never seen before. She could see the intricate architecture of the buildings and walkways, and she couldn't wait to explore. _It is like something from my dreams…I am so…lucky?_ Katherine wasn't sure what to think. One on hand, she was excited to be somewhere so beautiful…so magical. On the other hand, she was away from home, wherever home was, and worried about how she would fit in and if this Lord Elrond could help. She resolved to put it out of her mind for now and get some rest. After changing into a nightgown from said top drawer, she snuggled under the covers and fell into a dreamless sleep.

When Katherine woke up, she realized that she was in a soft bed... at first, she panicked. _Where am I? This isn't my room…is it?_ Then she remembered that she had been found in the middle of the woods and had partaken on a journey to Rivendell with Boromir of Gondor. Again she was overcome with sadness. _Why does it have to be this way? _A tear slid down her cheek, and she hastily wiped it away. _There must be some purpose for me, considering I ended up here. I just don't know what it is._

Katherine looked outside and noticed the sun was beginning to set. She remembered she was to meet Lord Elrond after sunset, so she busied herself with getting ready. Just as she crawled out of bed, there was a knock on her door. "Come in," Katherine said tentatively.

Mereneth peeked her head in, "Can I help you with anything? I thought I would just check in, since I know you have a meeting with Lord Elrond soon".

"Yes, I actually do need something. I would like to have a bath…but I don't really know how to heat up the water here?"

"You're in luck; the water from the spout is already heated, for we heat it in another area of Imaldris. But I most certainly can help you get things situated".

Katherine and Mereneth worked together to fill the tub and add bath salts and bubbles. "There, does that suit you?" Mereneth asked.

Katherine smiled gratefully, "It looks wonderful". Katherine said thank you, and Mereneth left to leave Katherine to her bath. It was absolutely glorious! Making sure not to spend too much time bathing, as much as she wanted to just sit in the tub forever, she dried off and went to get dressed.

Opening the third drawer, she gasped. She was looking at some of the most beautiful…no, _the_ most beautiful dresses she had ever seen. "Oh my goodness!" she said. After looking for a moment, she picked one which was an olive green with cream, mesh sleeves and cream embroidery. It was simple, but it seemed to bring out her eyes.

She dried her hair liberally with a towel, brushed it, and let it style itself as it created her soft, natural ringlets. Katherine fidgeted with them, afraid they would become frizzy, but decided to just let it go. The weather wasn't humid, so there was a good chance it would be ok, but looking beautiful was important when visiting a powerful elf Lord.

The sun had set, so she made her way out of her room…and promptly stopped. _I have no idea where I'm going!_ Thankfully she saw a male elf walking down the corridor.

"Excuse me my lord, but do you know how to get to Lord Elrond's quarters?"

He smiled, "It would be much easier for me to escort you than to give you directions". He gave her his arm and they proceeded to walk there.

It was a longer trip than she had anticipated, and of course there were many halls which would make it near impossible for her to get there if she needed to without an escort. Brushing that aside, she began to get nervous; she didn't know what to tell him. She had no idea of her history or where she came from, and worried he may become suspicious of her.

"Here we are my lady," the elf said, smiling and leaving with a short bow. Katherine gingerly walked to the door and knocked. "Enter!" she heard.

She opened the door slowly to see Elrond sitting at a desk and Boromir standing, probably waiting for her before taking a seat. She walked in, and softly said, "Greetings my Lord," with an awkward curtsy, which made her wonder if curtsying was uncommon in her homeland.

"The same to you my lady," Elrond replied with a nod. "You may be seated."

Boromir watched the door open and had to stop himself from nodding appreciatively. She looked much better in proper attire. He could see the nervousness on her face, which he felt as well. Fortunately he kept his face calm. Taking his attention away from Katherine, he waited until the greetings were done before taking a seat.

Elrond sat with his hands steepled. "I am curious as to why you two are here, though I have some idea of Boromir's quest". He directed his gaze to Boromir. "There is a dream you had that directed you here?"

Boromir nodded. "Yes…it was quite intriguing. I would not have come if my brother Faramir had not also had the same dream the same night".

Elrond nodded. "What was this dream about?"

Boromir thought for a moment, his eyes directed away from Elrond as he focused. "In that dream I saw the eastern sky grew dark and there was a growing thunder, but in the West a pale light lingered, and out of it I heard a voice, remote but clear, crying:  
Seek for the Sword that was broken:  
In Imladris it dwells;  
There shall be counsels taken  
Stronger than Morgul-spells.  
There shall be shown a token  
That Doom is near at hand,  
For Isildur's Bane shall waken,  
And the Halfling forth shall stand."

Boromir paused. "I came here because the dream spoke of your realm. I was hoping you could shed some light on its meaning?"

"I have some answers concerning this matter I believe, but I cannot be certain". He glanced over at Katherine for a moment, as if deciding whether or not to let her hear what he was about to say. He decided against it. "Milady, would you excuse us for a moment? There is a tearoom off through that right door. I will call you in when I am finished speaking with him in private".

Katherine nodded, slowly rising and making her way to the room. Shutting the door, she sat down and tried to think. She felt as if she knew what they were discussing, but she was uncertain as to whether or not she was imagining it. "Isildur's Bane," she whispered, "Why does that sound so familiar?" Another image flashed before her eyes of a simple gold ring. "A ring…what would that have to do with anything?"

Boromir left after Elrond was finished, deciding to go into the tearoom to think as well. He was not asked to wait there, but he needed to sit down to calm himself. _The Ring? The One Ring has been found? And it is going to reside __**here?**_ The mere thought of having this tool of power anywhere near him made him shiver with fear. _But…could it be used for good?_ Boromir pondered on this.

Meanwhile, Katherine was sitting in front of Elrond, feeling uncomfortable under his intense gaze. She decided she should start talking.

"My Lord Elrond, I suppose I should tell you my name," Elrond gave her a small smile and nodded for her to continue. "I am Katherine, and I hail from a land far away…although I do not know where it is." Elrond did not speak, and it was Katherine's cue to continue. After thinking for a moment, she steeled herself and spoke.

"I have a rather odd story to tell you. I woke up and found myself in the middle of the forest. How I came to be there I cannot say, since I don't remember. I don't remember anything before I came to be there except a friend I must have named Jeff." Katherine looked at her hands. "I also dreamt of 2 people, a man and a woman, who I believe may be my parents. They were wearing the same type of clothing as I was when I was first found, clothing that is apparently unseen in this culture. Jeff was in the dream as well, and as he turned to walk away from me, I saw a flash of gold and green."

She looked at him earnestly. "I feel strongly that he has been separated from me, that what happened to me has happened to him…I just don't know where he would be. Perhaps the gold and green is a clue?"

Elrond nodded, "Perhaps." He had been listening closely, and found the story very odd. "Is there anything else you wish to tell me my lady?"

Katherine took another deep breath, and began to speak shakily, "I also saw a flash of Rivendell before we even arrived…an image of it. I recognized it when we got here."

Elrond sat for a moment, thinking. "This is indeed very strange."

"Lord Elrond…have I been here before? Could that be the reason I knew what Rivendell looks like?"

Elrond shook his head, "You have never resided here Lady Katherine. I find it curious that such an image would enter your mind."

"This frustrates me more than you could know," Katherine said, clearly looking that way.

Elrond sighed. "I will need to spend some time in thought concerning this, for it is a very complex situation".

Katherine nodded, looking defeated. "I just want to get home, wherever that may be," she said sadly.

Elrond looked at her with compassion, "I will do all I can to help you".

"I just have a quick question. What is the date?" Katherine asked.

"It is October 24th," Elrond replied.

"October 24th? It sounds…familiar. Is something important happening today?"

Elrond's eyebrows rose. _Could she have known of Frodo's arrival? And along with it, the coming of the Ring of Power? _"Milady, today a Halfling arrived here, gravely wounded. Perhaps you heard of it?" Something told him she had not.

Katherine frowned, shaking her head. "I have been sleeping much of the day. I do hope he is all right?"

Elrond sighed, "I believe he will be, but I am uncertain. He suffered a serious wound, one cursed by an evil creature."

The word Nazgul formed in Katherine's mind. "Lord Elrond, I must ask you another question…what is a Nazgul? The term entered my mind for some reason."

_Will this girl never cease surprising me?_ He barely contained his expression of shock. "They are like wraiths, evil creatures who search for a weapon that has been hidden." Elrond's eyes narrowed in curiosity. "Do you know of such a weapon?"

"A weapon? Like, a sword or something?" Katherine felt foolish, as her answer was ridiculous. She felt as if she knew the answer but was unable to remember it.

Elrond shook his head, "It seems you do not, which is not surprising because very few do know of it." Elrond looked into her eyes, "Do you sometimes feel as if you know things that you do not think you were ever taught? See things that look familiar but you are unsure why? It seems to me like you are experiencing this, from what you have told me."

Katherine nodded slowly. "Yes, from what I have experienced, I think so." She paused, wondering if she should talk to him about the golden ring. _Well, considering he may be the only person who can help me, I should tell him all I know. _"My lord, I saw one other image. It was of a simple golden ring, tossed up into the air. Do you know what it is?"

Elrond closed his eyes and sighed. "You know more than you realize my lady,"

"I do?"

"Yes, for what you have seen is this weapon I speak of. It is not a simple golden ring. It wields terrible power that can corrupt the hearts of even the best of men. It has one master called Sauron…and he dwells in the land of Mordor in the south, near to Gondor. His only desire is to reclaim the ring and destroy all of Middle Earth, taking it for his own and covering the land in darkness. The hobbit who arrived wounded carries this ring, and he was stabbed because of it. The creatures want the ring, and it is their main purpose to find it."

Katherine's head was spinning. "This sounds so familiar, but why do I know it? How can I know it? As you said, if only a few people know of this ring, how can I?"

Elrond took her hand, "I cannot give you the answer you desire as of yet. Let me reflect on all of this and we can discuss it further some other time. Does that sound agreeable?"

She nodded, asked permission to leave, and having it granted, knocked on the door to the tearoom.

Boromir looked up and said "Come in".

Katherine walked in and said, "We can go now, if you'd like".

Boromir noticed her sad and pensive expression, but chose not to inquire about it unless she wished to talk. "Of course," he replied, standing and letting Katherine take his arm as they left. She found it was an odd custom, but not unpleasant.

They walked in silence for a moment until Katherine spoke, "This is all very confusing don't you think?"

Boromir nodded with a sigh, "Indeed it is. Did you get the answers you were looking for?"

"No, all I have are more questions. Of course he doesn't know how I got here or why, and I guess I didn't really expect him to…I was just hoping".

Her tone was one of defeat, and Boromir wished to remedy that, "Katherine, there is still hope. Do not give up; Lord Elrond may be able to find an answer for you. He is very wise". He looked down at her and gave her a small, encouraging smile.

She looked back and just nodded, unable to muster up any type of smile. "Did you find the answers you were looking for?" Katherine asked.

"I think so…but they were not happy ones". Boromir looked grim, and she wondered what he was thinking.

"Boromir, do not dwell on this too much. I may sound like a hypocrite here considering my own situation, but maybe we should just take some time to enjoy our stay here and distract ourselves. It might be the only way we can deal with this as we wait for more information.

Somehow they managed to get back to the corridor where their rooms were. Boromir brought her to her door and looked down at her, "Take your own advice, and get some rest. Tomorrow is a new day, so put your troubled thoughts out of your mind, at least until you wake".

Katherine gave him a small smile, "And you do the same my lord". Boromir stopped her just as she was turning around, "Just call me Boromir". She smiled and said, "Goodnight, Boromir".

"Goodnight Katherine," he said softly, then turned to walk to his own room. He felt sorry for her, as she was struggling with something that seemed far worse than his own troubles. "Someone as young as she should not have to hold such a heavy burden," he said to himself as he sat in the chair next to the window. _Wait…young? How young is she?_ He hadn't even asked what her age was._ Not that there was any normal opportunity._ He himself was around 40, and she had to be around half his age. _I wonder if she is married yet…most likely, perhaps to this Jeff. _The thought made him a little sad, but he could not pinpoint what exactly he was sad about. Shaking his head, he undressed and changed into more comfortable clothes, falling into an uneasy sleep.

The next day, they headed down the steps into the banquet hall, where all of the people who were guests and residents gathered to eat. When Katherine looked around, she saw many new faces. There was a large number of elves obviously, considering Rivendell is home to elves. In the center of one of the tables sat Elrond, Lord of Rivendell. Next to him was a stunningly beautiful elleth who looked very similar to him. On Elrond's other side she saw a very handsome man with dark, wavy hair and a beard similar to Boromir's. Next to him was another elf, this one with blond hair, and he was laughing at something the handsome man was saying. Boromir was seated next to him, looking a little lonely. She noticed another table that contained some short, bearded creatures Katherine thought were maybe dwarves…and next to them were 3 short and stout little men. They looked like children but their faces and mannerisms told otherwise. _Could they be the halflings Lord Elrond spoke of?_

She saw Mereneth and began to walk over to a normal table where she and Rivendell's service residents were seated when the she-elf Katherine assumed was Lord Elrond's daughter grasped her arm gently and said, "My father wishes for you to dine with us."

"He wants me to dine with you?" Katherine repeated dumbly. _Wasn't she just sitting at the table a second ago? How did she get here so fast?_

"From what he tells me, you are quite an interesting woman." Arwen said with a smile. "There are visitors here from distant lands whom you also might find interesting, as they have just arrived here recently from their travels."

"Well, if you are sure I'm not taking anyone else's seat," Katherine said, still feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"I should introduce myself. I am Arwen, Lord Elrond's daughter."

Katherine found herself trying to curtsey politely but it felt and probably looked very awkward. _I really need to practice this._ "Nice to meet you my lady."

"And I you Lady Katherine," she replied, giving her a small curtsey and returning to her seat.

Katherine looked at Mereneth apologetically, who waved it off with a smile.

Boromir looked up from his place and took in his surroundings. There were many people from different races here, some of which didn't get along very well. He could see the way the dwarves eyed the Elves, and he shook his head at the sight. He realized he felt a little lonely, considering he had no friends here.

"Good day, Lord Boromir," Katherine greeted him, adding a slight nod of her head.

"Good day to you, Lady Katherine," Boromir replied, starting at her abrupt arrival. "I did not see you enter the hall, and you surprised me."

"Well perhaps you should be more observant of your surroundings," Katherine said, amusement playing in her hazel eyes.

"Indeed," Boromir shook his head, a small smile sneaking its way onto his face.

Noticing Boromir seemed to have something on his mind, Katherine asked, "A penny for your thoughts?"

Boromir furrowed his brow, "I have never heard that phrase used before, although I can assume it means to ask me what I am thinking about?"

"Ah, yes, yes it is," Katherine was blushing, feeling confused as to where the phrase came from and what a penny was.

After an awkward pause, Boromir answered her question, "I am just thinking about my city. Although Rivendell is a beautiful realm…it does not surpass that of Minas Tirith. Rivendell certainly has the advantage of nature, as my city has little of it except in the few gardens we have. The way the buildings here are made of the very trees that surround them is quite impressive." A smile graced his face, "But Minas Tirith…it is quite something to behold. The way the light hits it at all hours of the day, making it glitter and glow like something graced by the favor of the gods…" Boromir blushed, "I must sound silly to you, but I am proud of my city and my country."

"No, you don't sound silly at all. It is wonderful that you love your home so much." Katherine said with a small smile.

"Does it hurt you when I speak of my home, since you cannot remember your homeland?"

Katherine looked down into her lap, her fingers playing with the fabric of her dress, "Maybe a little, but that is only to be expected. I do like hearing about new things, and I'm glad to hear you speak about your home so fondly. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable talking to me about your life outside of Rivendell, ok?"

Boromir nodded, "I will certainly keep that in mind."

Katherine was not hungry but forced herself to eat a little out of politeness. The reason? The elf next to Boromir had been staring curiously at her, like he was trying to figure out her purpose with his eyes alone. Having looked at him previously, she had noticed that his eyes were such a piercing blue that when she saw them, she was startled. It made her feel very uncomfortable. She retired to her room as soon as possible to escape it.

Katherine's thoughts were suddenly broken when she heard someone knocking on her door. "Come in!"

The door to her room opened, and Boromir slowly walked in, staying by the door, "Hello Katherine. You left dinner quite early, and I was wondering if something was wrong," Boromir said, concern in his voice.

"It's... it's nothing. Really," Katherine told him, her voice soft.

"One can tell when someone is lying, milady."

Katherine nodded resigned. "I miss my home, wherever it is, and I'm so confused about everything" she said somberly.

Boromir looked at her with sympathy in his pale green eyes. "If you don't mind me asking, where do you believe they are?

"They are in a place I can't quite get to, no matter how much I want it," Katherine said, trying to hold herself together.

Boromir walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. Katherine gave him a bittersweet smile and sighed.

"It will be all right. I am sure there will be a way for you to return to your family somehow. Try not to worry, as difficult as that may be," Boromir whispered softly.

Katherine looked up at him, noticing how tall he really was. "Do you think so Boromir? Do you think that there really is a way?" Katherine questioned. "Cause from what I'm seeing, Lord Elrond is confused and no one else seems to know anything."

Boromir thought for a moment, and answered, "I'm sure of it. We will find your family and get you the answers you need." He sounded more confident than he felt, but it looked like she needed such affirmations at the moment.

Katherine shook her head silently. "I wish Jeff was here…something in my heart tells me he's always been there for me," Katherine told Boromir.

_Ah, I knew that she'd bring up this mystery man she had been mumbling about the day I found her. _"May I ask who Jeff is?" Boromir asked nonchalantly.

Katherine made a small smile. "Jeff is someone who is very important to me. There are these feelings that I feel that are beyond friendship, so perhaps he is my boyfriend or husband, or maybe I am mistaken and he is just a close friend. I do miss him and hope he is safe, wherever he is."

Boromir felt a small pang of jealousy, though he didn't know why. _I feel sadness for her, yet I am jealous of this Jeff she speaks of. It makes no sense to me..._Boromir thought.

"He was a comforting presence in my life…I really hope he is safe," Katherine mumbled, her sadness evident in her tone.

After a moment, Boromir finally realized it was improper for him to be in her room, alone with her. "I must take my leave Katherine, for I am still weary from my journey," he used as an excuse.

"Oh…yes, you must be, I assume it was a long one?"

Boromir nodded. It had taken him many, many weeks to arrive.

"Well…goodnight then." Katherine said, feeling a little tension in the air.

After saying goodnight, he left, softly shutting the door behind him. "Sleep well," he murmured softly.

When Katherine awoke, she felt refreshed. She then remembered what happened last night and felt slightly embarrassed. She hoped he hadn't felt uncomfortable.

A gentle knocking was heard, and Mereneth popped her head in. "May I come in? I trust you slept well."

Katherine smiled. "Very well, thank you."

Mereneth walked in with bath supplies. "I'm sorry if I woke you, but Lord Elrond wishes to speak with you as soon as you are ready," the she-elf said.

"That's all right. Thank you," Katherine said softly. The Elf nodded, set her things on the bed, and left.

In her bath, Katherine thought about what had happened so far since she woke up in the woods. She had been rescued by Boromir, who had become a friend to her. She had seen Rivendell, probably the most beautiful place she had ever seen. She had met a powerful elf Lord and seen a wide variety of people. Her mind slowly drifted back to Boromir. _He seems so nice to me, so sweet and gentle…_ she thought dreamily. _I wonder what he thinks about me? _Katherine dismissed the questions from her mind as she quickly got ready to meet Elrond in his study... if she could find the way, that is!


	4. Chapter Kanta

2/26/12: And the revisions continue! Hope you like it!

Katherine looked right. And then left. And promptly realized she had _no_ idea where to go. Exasperated and wishing she had asked Mereneth to help her find her way, Katherine decided to go left.

There were so many beautiful sculptures and paintings that it was hard to stay focused on her task of meeting with Lord Elrond. Despite having no talent in the area of art herself, Katherine still appreciated the elegance and stories that a piece could tell. She stopped in her tracks as her eyes gazed upon a very powerful painting. A large, beautiful city was stationed on an island, and a giant wall of water was racing towards it. A woman stood, gazing at the wave with both fear and sadness in her eyes, as if she knew why she was about to be swallowed by the raging waters. It was a beautiful and terrible sight to see, and something told Katherine that this event really happened.

"It is of the fall of Númenor, a kingdom of the southern sea," a deep voice spoke behind her.

Katherine jolted out of her reverie, whipping around to face the stranger, a hand on her chest. "You scared me…." She could not continue speaking because the man before her was the handsome man who was at the table from the night before.

_Very_ handsome.

He gave her a small smile, "My apologies my lady. I did not mean to startle you, but rather explain to you what you were gazing upon with such intensity."

Katherine somehow found her voice, "It-it's all right my lord, thank you for the explanation." Unable to look into his beautiful blue eyes any longer, she turned back towards the painting. "So this actually occurred then…how terrible. She looks so sad."

"Yet it is the fault of their people. Of my people," Katherine couldn't help but feel sorry for him; from what she could glean, the citizens of the city had done something to cause the wrath of some higher power to come upon them.

"My lord, if you don't mind me asking, what did your people do to cause this?"

He sighed, "There is a land, across the sea, called the Undying Lands. Only the First-born, elven-kind, can reside there. The Númenorians were mortals blessed with long life, but they feared death. Believing that if they could sail to Valinor and conquer it they could live forever, some of them got in their ships and sailed West. Illúvatar, our creator, was greatly angered by their defiance and punished them by sending a great wave to swallow the island back to its original place, under the sea. The Undying Lands became separated from the rest of the earth, and Elendil, a leader of those who chose to obey and stay behind, founded the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor with his sons and other leaders. This is how we still exist," He shook his head sadly, "Although we number very few."

Suppressing the urge to take his hand in comfort, she turned to look at him, unsure of what to say. "I..I am sorry."

"It is nothing that we ourselves could have prevented, my lady. Let us try and put the past behind us and look towards the future," he said sadly.

"But, it..it is also important to learn from past mistakes so they are not made again, right?" _Katherine, stop speaking, you're sounding like an idiot with your voice shaking like that!_

Thankfully a small, heart-melting smile emerged. "Those are wise words my lady, advice that many should take to heart but seem to forget." He paused, "Were you on your way to some destination?"

Katherine's eyes went wide. "Oh no! I was supposed to be in Lord Elrond's study ages ago!" She looked around, feeling helpless as she had no idea where to go. She looked at her arm to see that the man had gently took it.

"I can help escort you there, if you would like."

"That would be great, thank you," Katherine said gratefully.

She tried to pay attention to her surroundings since she would probably need to come this way again, but her mind would only focus on the warm, tingly feeling she was getting from his arm. _Stop being ridiculous, you don't even know this man…you don't even know his name!_

Too quickly it seemed she had arrived at the door to the study. He released her, "I must take my leave my lady, but first I would ask your name?"

Blushing like a school girl, she replied, "It's Katherine my lord, and yours?"

"My name is Aragorn, lady Katherine," he said, inclining his head slightly before walking away.

_Aragorn…that's a strong-sounding name. I like it._

She wanted to eat breakfast, but the task of finding the dining area could take her all day! Her meeting with Lord Elrond had been exhausting. He was trying to glean memories from her, but apparently being forced to remember something was counter-productive. He tried using key words, but today just wasn't her day, and the images weren't coming. Mustering up her courage and hoping she would choose correctly, she took a right this time and began walking. Luck was apparently with her today because after only one wrong turn she managed to find her location.

Walking in, she noticed it was about half full. It was well after dawn, and as elves seemed to be early-risers, there were only some of them left. Not seeing Mereneth, she sat down and took a plate, putting some fruit and a piece of bread with jam on her plate. She was disconcerted to see wine on the table, but thankfully a jug of water was right next to it. After pouring herself a glass, she slowly began to eat, observing her surroundings.

_Elves are beautiful…_Katherine thought dumbly. It made her feel a little inadequate as she compared her appearance to theirs. _But I shouldn't be comparing myself to them; they will always be more beautiful than the race of Men…well that's at least what _I _think._

She almost knocked over her water when a man sat down next to her and said hello. "Where did your mind go milady?"

Katherine grumbled a bit and glared at Boromir. "Don't test me Boromir, it's early and I am not the happiest person in the morning" Especially after being with Lord Elrond.

"Ok ok, I apologize," he said, trying not to laugh or crack a grin. "I will try again: good morning Katherine, how are you this morning?" Katherine couldn't help but smile at his antics.

"I'm a little tired, but otherwise doing well," she replied, not wanting to get into her mind-bending experience. "And you?"

"I do not think I have slept so soundly in weeks. Traveling can be exhausting, despite my hardiness" Boromir said, saying the last part a little arrogantly.

Katherine laughed, "Oh please, do not be so dramatic; _I_ went through a more trying time than _you_, so if anyone were to be hardy it would be _me_", she said, exaggerating with a smile.

Boromir rolled his eyes and filled his plate. "Katherine, I lost my horse part way through the journey and had to walk on foot for many leagues."

"Walking, oh how terrible!" she replied, pretending to faint. Boromir just rolled his eyes.

Katherine's eyes widened as she observed how much food he had taken. "Is it possible for someone to eat that much?" she asked with a drawl.

"A strong man like me needs much food to keep up his strength," he said with a smirk.

"I walked right into that one didn't I?" Katherine replied with a little laugh.

Boromir was about to reply when three small blurs ran into the dining hall, headed for their table. Upon closer inspection, Katherine saw that they were the halflings. They practically leaped over the bench and sat, immediately piling food onto their plates. It wasn't until they had all of their food and drink that they noticed Boromir and Katherine.

"Oh, begging your pardon," one of them said. After a beat, he realized he should introduce himself. "My name is Samwise Gamgee, and these two," pointing to the others, "are Meriadoc Brandybuck and—"

"—and Peregrin Took," the dark-haired one finished. "But you can call us Merry and Pippin. Who are you?" Merry smacked Pippin a bit, mumbling, "Stop being rude Pip!"

Katherine smiled, "My name is Katherine, and this is Lord Boromir, the son of the Steward of Gondor". Boromir blushed at this formal introduction. Katherine continued, "Have you ever heard of Gondor before?"

The three hobbits sat for a moment in thought. They all shook their heads. Boromir smiled and said, "Then I will have to tell you about it someday. It really is a glorious land, and Minas Tirith is like a jewel, sparkling in the sun". Boromir had a distant look, as if envisioning his precious city. He was about to continue speaking but stopped himself, noticing that the hobbits had completely stopped talking and were completely focused on the food on their plates. He smiled as Katherine giggled and shook her head.

"Is food all you think about?"

It took about 3 seconds for anyone to register that she had spoken, "Oh, oh um, well no milady," Sam stuttered, "You see, food is almost….almost a part of our culture,"

"A 'uge 'art" Pippin said, food stuffed in his mouth. Sam glared at him, as if saying 'stop being rude to the lady!' Pippin didn't even notice, so Sam just sighed and continued to eat, with a little less gusto.

Boromir noticed Katherine's expression suddenly seemed focused, as if her brain was working really hard to remember something. He let his mind wander, trying to figure out what was going on in that pretty little head of hers.

_Pretty little head?_ It was true, her hair was quite pretty, especially in the style she had it in, flowing freely down her back. Most of the women of Gondor kept it up in intricate braided designs, and he found he rather liked how a woman's hair looked undone.

"…so that was what I thought I could…Boromir are you listening to me?"

Boromir fought the blush that was threatening to spread on his cheeks, "I apologize, my mind got away from me. Now what were you saying?"

Katherine shook her head with a little smirk, "I was telling you what I thought I might do today. Not that you should actually care, as you must have more _Lordly_ things to do".

Boromir scoffed. "Do I sense a bit of sarcasm _my lady_?"

Katherine laughed and rolled her eyes, "How very observant of you Boromir". She turned to Pippin, who she noticed was taking a break to drink some water, and asked, "How do you find Rivendell Pippin?"

It took Pippin a moment to realize someone was speaking to him until Mary gave him a nudge. "Oh, I quite like it here! The food is delicious! Although…" Pippin's face fell a little, "It doesn't have the ale of the Green Dragon…or hobbit holes…"

Katherine sighed and gave him a smile, "What does a hobbit hole look like Pippin?"

His face brightened, "They are little dwellings dug into the sides of hills. On the outside they may not look like much, but they are quite cozy, especially with a warm fire and the smell of good food…" a wistful smile was on his face, and it warmed Katherine's heart.

"What brings you guys here?" she asked. She knew that the hobbit that was injured wasn't in the dining hall because Elrond said he was still in the healing houses. "Did you come to see your friend?"

At this, their faces fell. Sam was the first to speak, "We were actually on our way here because Frodo has something that needed to come here Miss, although I don't right understand it all." He looked confused and troubled. "We decided to come with him."

Katherine knew what that "thing" was that Sam spoke of, as did Boromir, but neither of them said so. "Well Sam, I'm sure that Lord Elrond will explain everything eventually," she replied with what she hoped was an encouraging smile. "You'll be back to the Green Dragon in no time."

Pippin smiled and his face lit up, "You're right milady, thank you for reminding me of that"

"Pippin, you can call me Katherine". She tried to smile, but she worried it looked forced as she had no idea if what she said was true. Taking a drink of water to regroup, she asked the little group at the table, "Would anyone be interested in going down to the stables later to see the horses? I heard they are quite majestic".

Pippin nodded excitedly, unable to speak as his mouth was full of grapes. Sam looked uneasy, "They are very tall, and I'm afraid they might very well step on us…".

Merry rolled his eyes, "Don't be silly Sam, the horses aren't stupid. I hear that horses can sense when people are nearby, and I bet these are pretty special horses cause elves ride them".

Sam thought for a moment, and reluctantly agreed to come. Katherine turned to Boromir, an expectant look on her face. Boromir pretended to think, garnering an exasperated sigh from Katherine, and said, "I suppose I will join you," with a wink.

"All right then, let's go!"


	5. Chapter Lempe

Revisions continue (2/29/12)

As they made their way towards the stables, Katherine couldn't help but admire the man walking slightly ahead of her. He was handsome, in a similar way to the man she had met earlier…both were tough, manly men. Aragorn seemed more lithe and reminded her somewhat of an elf, as crazy as that sounds. _Perhaps he was raised among them?_ It was entirely possible, but why would a man grow up with elves and not his own people? Yet she didn't know Aragorn, so it was difficult to say his true nature. The one thing that struck her most about him was his blue eyes…she felt she could lose herself in them all day. Boromir however was clearly a warrior in all manners. He looked like what she thought a warrior should look, broad-shouldered, confident, strong, and seemingly fearless. He was probably admired greatly by his people. Katherine found this quality to be attractive as well, but she knew he had the potential to be arrogant, as she had seen. _Something to pay attention to._

She turned her thoughts towards the horses as they approached, and her eyes widened at the size and beauty of the beasts. There weren't a large number of them, but each seemed to hold a special elegance and grace. They seemed as ageless as the elves, although she didn't think horses could live forever. _Then again, there are many things I don't seem to know. I'll just add this to the list._

A dark brown mare nickered softly as Katherine approached, responding happily as she received an apple. Stroking the horse's nose gently, Katherine wondered if she knew how to ride a horse. Something told her no, but how she would have traveled wherever she came from she hadn't a clue. Perhaps they didn't have horses there, but something more advanced? Or maybe she didn't grow up with horses and simply rode in a wagon?

Katherine looked over and saw Sam backing far away from a huge grey stallion, eyes wary and distrusting. Not seeing anything but relaxation in the horse, she stooped down to look in Sam's eyes. "There is nothing to fear from them, I don't think they mean to hurt us Sam. See?" She stood up and pet the horse, who also nickered happily.

"But my lady, he looks mighty big…big enough to crush me beneath those huge hooves of his. I think I'll stand back here," Sam mumbled, clearly afraid. "I don't trust the look in its eyes either."

Boromir approached the pair, eyeing Sam's reaction curiously. "Sam, have you never had a pony?"

Sam shook his head, "I did have one sir, but this horse is much bigger than that."

"He is also just as gentle I would assume." Boromir promptly lifted Sam off the ground and carried him over to the horse, as one would carry a child. Sam squirmed in his arms, repeatedly telling the larger man to put him down. Somehow Boromir managed to put one of Sam's hands on the nose of the stallion, and Sam froze, scared of what would happen. As expected, the horse stood there, looking at Sam expectantly as if saying 'are you going to pet me or not?' Sam eventually gathered his courage and pet the horse, a smile forming on his face as he became more relaxed. Katherine couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

The rest of the hobbits didn't seem to have these reservations; Pippin had found himself a stool and used it to pet a white horse with light brown patches while Merry stabilized the stool so Pippin wouldn't fall. Katherine's gaze switched to Boromir's as he laughed at Sam's quickly changing attitude about horses; Sam was chatting animatedly about how they really are more gentle than he thought but could Mister Boromir please put him down now. His laughter was a welcome sound, one that seemed to fill the entire stable with its booming and infectious quality.

Katherine laughed as well, and Boromir turned to look at her, his eyes twinkling and a grin on his face. _He really does have a nice smile…_suddenly another face entered her mind, one with short brown hair and joyful blue eyes. He winked at her and gave her a grin…_Jeff? It must be him…I know it is. I forgot how handsome he looks…_

"Miss Katherine?"

The woman in question started, coming out of her reverie and turning to smile at Sam, "Hi Sam, what can I do for you?"

"Oh, begging your pardon, I just thought maybe it would be a good idea to go get something to eat?"

Katherine looked at Sam in confusion, "Didn't we just eat breakfast an hour ago?"

Pippin chimed in, "We had one yes; it's time for second breakfast my lady!" After realizing Katherine didn't understand, he elaborated, "As we said earlier at breakfast, food is kind of a part of our culture. We eat many meals in a day because that's just how it is concerning hobbits. For some reason you Big Folk and the elves only eat 3 meals a day…how terribly hungry you must get!"

Merry rolled his eyes, "Pip, it's pretty obvious that they do just fine with 3 meals…" he looked at Katherine in confirmation, "Right?"

Fighting the urge to laugh and not trusting herself to speak, she nodded with a smile.

"See Pip, I was right." Turning toward Boromir and Katherine, he asked, "Would it be all right if we parted company with you and went to eat? We will see you around I'm sure, my lord and lady."

"Sure, come find me at dinner ok?" Katherine said, adding "And enough of this "lady" business, just call me Katherine." Merry seemed to be more well-spoken than Pippin…although it might just be because Pippin was quick to speak first and think later.

All the hobbits nodded with a smile, then scurried off to the dining hall, leaving Katherine and Boromir to watch them go.

Katherine walked over to the stable entrance and leaned on the door frame, looking out at the view. The leaves were falling from the trees; she guessed it must be fall here. The colors of the leaves were brilliant, making Rivendell look like something out of a painting.

Boromir came to join her, also admiring the scenery. "It's quite beautiful, is it not?"

Katherine nodded, "It really is." Looking at Boromir, she asked, "Is the weather like this in Gondor this time of year?"

He nodded, "Somewhat, although there are not many trees in the city, and the leaves do not change colors as early as they do here. In November the trees in Ithilien are quite the sight to behold I must say."

"Is Ithilien near your city?"

"Yes, it's a province in the south, to the east of Minas Tirith where I live. My brother Faramir enjoys spending his time there, choosing to work with the companies stationed in that area more often than in the big city." His eyes darkened, "At the present it is not as safe as it once was; it lies close to Mordor, where the dark lord and his many horrible creatures reside. They grow in number day by day, attacking our outlying villages and putting more pressure on Ithilien. Before I left I was able to drive the forces of Mordor back from the city of Osgiliath on the river, but I do not know how long it will hold."

Picking up on his troubled mood, Katherine put a hand on his arm, "Do not lose hope Boromir; whoever this dark lord is, I think that the good guys will come out ahead. I believe that good can conquer evil, and maybe you will find some answers here regarding that."

Boromir managed a small smile, "Your words bring me some comfort. Thank you."

"No problem," she replied softly, returning the smile.

That night, Katherine's sleep was troubled and full of nightmares:

_Katherine walked softly across lush green grass under a beautiful summer sun. A light breeze gently tickled her neck, and the sweet smell of flowers surrounded her. She sat down on the grass and breathed in the fresh air. She started humming a nameless tune to herself. Everything was perfect. Too perfect. _

_Suddenly, in what seemed like the blink of an eye, fire was burning all around her. The sky was a charcoal black, and even darker clouds churned dangerously on the horizon. She looked around wildly, feeling bewildered and screaming for help. After what seemed like ages, a figure appeared through the fire. At first it looked heroic as it stood in a tall, brave stance. She couldn't make out a face, but decided that it was a man. He held his hand out to her, and she gratefully took it. Then the figure seemed to convulse in pain, and he fell to his knees. Alarmed, Katherine looked to see if he had caught fire, but he had not. Confused as to what was causing his pain, she moved closer. Her eyes widened as she recognized him. It was Boromir! _

_"Boromir, what's wrong? What's going on?" Katherine shouted, tears starting to well up in her eyes. She tried shaking his shoulders to get his attention, as he seemed to be wholly focused on his pain. He was clutching his chest. _

_Finally he turned his face up at her, looking broken, "I…I can't save you from this Katherine. I am too weak," he said softly. Somehow she could hear him even over the chaos of their surroundings. _

_"Why are you too weak? I don't understand!" Katherine yelled, tears of frustration on her cheeks. _

_"I couldn't even protect myself from its destructive powers….how am I supposed to save you?" Boromir whispered. _

_"Save me from what? What are you so afraid of? What is causing your pain?" Katherine choked. _

_Suddenly the images were fading away. "Boromir! No! Don't leave me! I can't survive out here!" Katherine screamed. The last thing she saw before the dream ended was Boromir falling to the ground, the fire surrounding him._

She woke with a start, seeing she had rolled out of bed and was on the floor, tangled in her sheets and covered in a cold sweat. Sighing, she freed herself and moved over to the chair, the fear and frustration slowly replaced by confusion, the tendrils of the dream starting to slip away from her. Quickly she grabbed a piece of parchment, and fussing with the quill and ink for a moment, she eventually got the hang of it and scribbled down everything she could remember before she forgot it completely. She could tell it probably wasn't the entire dream, but she thought the general idea was there.

_Boromir surrounded by fire? He couldn't save me? Save me from what? This is all so confusing…it just makes me wonder more and more what I'm doing here and where I come from._

Katherine looked out her window and saw that it was still dark. She tried lying back down for a little while but realized that sleep wouldn't be happening the rest of the night. She fought the urge to get up and wander; getting lost in the middle of the night in Rivendell wasn't dangerous, but she didn't want to get lost and have no one to help her get back. Instead, Katherine picked up some parchment and began to journal. She let her mind go and just wrote what she was thinking. Her words ended up being mostly about her stay so far and her uncertainty about her place here. Did she really belong, or was she meant to be at home, wherever it was? That's what frustrated her beyond anything; not remembering much of her past besides some meager details about Jeff and her parents wasn't enough.

Jeff's face swam before her eyes once more, and his light blue eyes were twinkling. He was saying something to her, but she couldn't make out the words. She just saw that he seemed happy. _I wonder if he's happy now, or if he's even alive…_the thought of him gone forever made her sad. She still didn't know quite where Jeff's position was in her life; they were best friends to be sure, but she sensed more was there…was she married? Katherine didn't know exactly what her age was, but she certainly could be old enough to have a husband, right? The feelings were there…but were they those of a wife? "I don't know," she whispered into the empty room.

Some hours later she woke up. Still tired and in the chair, she looked out her window to see that the sun was just barely over the horizon.

Standing up and stretching, she went over to her washbasin and scrubbed her face, making sure all signs of last night were gone. Then she opened the beautiful closet and looked for an everyday dress. Digging into the rack, she finally found one that looked just as simple as the one she wore yesterday. It was blue and brown with swoop neck, a little like the neckline of the dress Lady Arwen wore at the dinner the other night. It hung just to her ankles so she could move without tripping on the hem. The sleeves were crème and made of a light material that was soft and comfortable. It didn't even feel like she was wearing sleeves except for the fact that she could feel the warmth that her body heat was creating stay trapped within the sleeves. She combed her hair and headed out the door.

Making her way into the dining hall she could smell the delightful scents of a homemade breakfast. Eggs, sausage, bacon, and something that looked like pancakes along with fruit was on the table. Everything looked delicious.

Sitting down at an empty table, she noticed how few people were up at this hour. Of course the cooks were awake, and a sizeable number of elves were eating or wandering around. She noticed how the elves did not seem to eat meat; perhaps they were vegetarians?

Katherine ate slowly, wondering what the day would bring. Mereneth had offered to show her around Rivendell sometime this afternoon, and she was excited to explore.

"My lady, may I sit?"

Katherine turned around and saw that the elf with the creepy piercing blue eyes was asking to eat with her. Apparently his name was Legolas, and he was a prince from some other elf realm she couldn't remember the name of. Fighting the urge to say 'No, you're creepy, go away', she said, "Certainly," and scooted over.

After taking a seat, Legolas quietly placed some fruit and bread on a plate. He appeared uncertain about something.

Katherine sighed softly and took the initiative, "Lord Legolas, right?"

The elf turned to look at her with a smile, "Yes, that is my name. You are Lady Katherine?"

She nodded, "Nice to officially meet you." Katherine brought her focus towards her plate, unsure of what to say. He didn't seem to be staring at her like he was the other night.

Sensing her discomfort, Legolas said, "I am sorry for making you feel uncomfortable the other night…I have the tendency to be too curious at times. I wondered for which land you hail. You could be a Gondorian but your appearance speaks of somewhere else."

_Somewhere else? Does he have an idea of where I'm from? _"And where would that be?"

He looked down, "I am afraid I cannot place it. There is just something about you that seems unlike a Gondorian…then again, I only know a small number of people from that region, so it is hard to say for certain that my instincts are true."

"Your friend, Lord Aragorn, the man you were sitting next to the other night…do you know what he thinks?" Katherine tried not to be too obvious with her curiosity; the man was gorgeous and mysterious and she really wanted to know more about him. _Then again, if I'm married, should I be lusting after someone else? Hey, it isn't a crime to look…right?_

A smile adorned the elf's perfect face, "He is curious as well, although he has spoken to Lord Elrond about you."

Katherine's brow furrowed. _He has? Why would he and why would Lord Elrond bring up something so personal to him?_

Sensing her questions, Legolas continued, "Aragorn is Lord Elrond's foster son and is well-traveled across Middle Earth. If anyone were to know or guess where you hail from, it would be him."

"…and?" She felt like this elf was dragging this out far too much.

"And he is as uncertain as Lord Elrond."

Her face fell, "Of course he is. No one seems to know anything. Even I don't know much about myself." Feeling Legolas' concerned eyes on her, she turned to look into the startling blue orbs.

"Do not despair Lady Katherine. If there are answers to be found, Lord Elrond and Aragorn will find them."

Trying to manage a smile she thanked him for his concern, and they finished their meals in semi-comfortable silence.

Once again hearing a summons from Lord Elrond, she made her way towards his study. She was getting the hang of the route by now, and it was easier to find coming from the dining hall than from her room since it was closer. Knocking softly and hearing the simple "Enter!" she opened the door, gave him a small curtsy, and sat down in her usual chair in front of his desk.

Lord Elrond studied her face. There was a subject he wanted to broach with her but he was uncertain how she would respond. He was also unsure if he even wanted to talk about it, but it needed to be done before she heard from someone else. He started with his usual question, "Katherine, have you remembered anything more since we last spoke?"

She shook her head, "No I haven't. I have seen Jeff's face a few more times, but nothing remarkable has happened. He just smiles and winks at me, nothing more." She thought about telling him about her dream, but what would he say? She could hear the words already: _That is very strange indeed Katherine, but it is unclear to me as well._

Noticing her considering something, he spoke, "Is something else on your mind?"

"Lord Elrond…I had a dream last night. It isn't anything very clear and it probably is just something my mind came up with, but I decided maybe you should know." She gave him a recap of what she remembered, making sure to point out that she probably missed some minor details since the dream started to fade after she woke up.

It was not surprising to see that familiar 'I'm thinking' look on his face. "It may very well be something related to your fears of Boromir falling in battle or coming upon trouble. It is too vague to know if it is prophetic in some way." He looked into her eyes, "If you have the dream again, please tell me. That would be a sign to me that it may be more than just your mind conjuring such images."

"I will my lord…although to be honest, I really hope I never had that dream again…it was terrifying." Katherine shuddered involuntarily.

"Dreams can indeed bring fear to the dreamer, but do not let it dampen your spirits. As I said, it may be nothing but a dream." The pensive expression slowly returned to his face. _Should I or shouldn't I?_

Seeing this, Katherine couldn't help but ask what was on his mind.

Making a decision, he slowly began to speak, "Lady Katherine, I want to talk to you about an important event that is occurring this evening. It is concerning the evil trinket Frodo the hobbit carried here, which is called the Ring of Power. As I explained previously, despite its size, it is extremely dangerous to the fate of this world. In the wrong hands, it could cause massive damage, and once it is in Sauron's grasp, Middle Earth will fall into eternal darkness." His eyes studied her. She seemed to be absorbing the information slowly, nodding for him to continue. "This purpose of a council I am calling tonight is to decide the Ring's fate."

Staring at him, she wondered what exactly he wanted from her, and she said as much.

"Although I do not want you to attend the council, as that would arise suspicion from those who do not know you, it is important for you to be aware of what is happening. Some of your friends may be asked to go on dangerous missions, and I want you to be prepared. I am not sure where your place is in regards to the future of this Ring, and perhaps you are not to be involved at all."

Katherine became agitated, "Then what _is_ my purpose here? I have these visions and come up with words in my head related to this ring, and yet it is possible I am to have nothing to do with its fate?" Noting Lord Elrond's raise an eyebrow in response to her outburst, she sighed, "I'm sorry for reacting like that…I just don't know what I'm doing here and why I ended up in your forest. I understand why you don't want me at that council, and I really don't have any desire to go on a dangerous quest if there happens to be one. I just hope that my purpose will be revealed to me sometime soon."

"As do I my lady." Standing, he walked over to his large bay window to stare out at his beautiful realm. "I have lived here for millennia with my friends and family, caring for this land and finding peace within. However, I can sense evil threatening my borders even now. I fear what is to become of it if something is not done to quell this darkness." He looked to her, and his eyes were full of sadness. "I am to leave these shores soon for the Undying Lands. Some would accuse it as cowardice to leave while this land is threatened by evil, and I intend to stay until it is destroyed…but the sea calls for me and it is hard to resist…my wife waits for me there, as do many others I hold dear."

Katherine stood to join him by the window, "I don't think it is cowardly to want to be with the ones you love, especially during hard times like these. I wish I could sail away to those I care for…yet you have an advantage over me…you know who your loved ones are…I do not." Their eyes met, tears in hers and sympathy in his. "All those I love are gone."

Lord Elrond put a hand on her shoulder, "You have friends here, friends who care for you and want to see you happy. Do not let your loneliness overcome you. You may feel lost now, but you will find your place here or in your true home. I do not know what the future holds for you, and I wish I could bring you some certainty. Know that you will always be welcome in Imaldris."

"Thank you Lord Elrond," she replied, a sad smile on her face.

After saying goodbye to Elrond, she let her feet take her where they wanted. She just needed somewhere to think. She eventually ended up on a short flight of stairs that led out into a small garden.

Taking a seat on the top step, she sighed. "What am I doing here?" she said softly to herself.

"Sitting here with me of course," said a familiar voice behind her. She turned to see Boromir looking down at her, a smirk on his face. He pointed to a spot next to her. "May I?"

Katherine nodded her consent and he sat beside her. The stair case was somewhat narrow, so their shoulders were barely touching. "Katherine, I sense you are not content?"

"I hear there is a council happening today," she said, changing the subject. She really didn't want to talk about her feelings right now.

Boromir sighed softly as she avoided his question, but answered her nonetheless, "Indeed, this evening in fact. I will be in attendance along with the other visitors." He looked at her, "Are you attending as well?"

She shook her head, "No, Lord Elrond said it might be suspicious for a strange woman to be there."

"'Tis a good point, although I wish you could come; it would be nice to have a friend there."

"I will be waiting for you as soon as it is done, and we can go for a walk and talk about it…if you would like," she added. "Don't worry, you'll do fine. It is a very important council I hear, so be sure to speak up about how you feel even if you are afraid to have your ideas rejected."

"I wish I knew what the others were thinking," he said, sounding somewhat frustrated.

"I guess you'll find out tonight won't you?" she replied, "just stay calm and don't let your emotions get the best of you…I think you could be a passionate person."

He laughed a little, "Indeed I am, and sometimes it gets me into trouble. My brother Faramir is more calm and collected." He sighed. "He should be the one here, not I."

"Not that I don't enjoy your company and wish you weren't here, but why didn't Faramir come?"

Another sigh.

_He sighs too much. _

"My father chose me instead…he is a good man, but him and Faramir do not get on well. Rather, father gives his love to me more readily than to Faramir, unable to see his many good qualities and instead focuses on mine. He believed I would be the one more suitable for this journey." He decided not to tell her why exactly his father sent him…to bring back the Ring. Well, he didn't know at the time it was the Ring his father was speaking of, as he had just referred to it as "a mighty gift." Not that he planned on it going to Minas Tirith unless the council decided it was the best course of action.

Katherine took his hand and gave it a small squeeze, "Although I don't know your father, I'm sure he will see Faramir's good qualities and give him the love he deserves, someday. Maybe it's this evil that's causing extra stress and therefore he takes it out on someone close to him."

"Nay Katherine, he has been this way to Faramir since our mother died, many years ago. Father says Faramir reminds him too much of his wife, but there must be more to it than that…there has to be," he said, the last part mostly to himself.

They sat in silence for a little while until another person entered the garden. It was none other than the handsome Aragorn. He stopped to look at some simple white flowers, seemingly lost in thought. Feeling as if they were intruding on something, Katherine and Boromir were about to get up and leave when Aragorn turned to them. He gave Katherine a small smile, and tilted his head in acknowledgement, and she smiled in return. He looked to Boromir and did the same, but the smile had left his face, replaced by a barely visible look of concern. Katherine couldn't see Boromir's face, but she imagined that there definitely wasn't a smile.

Aragorn started to speak, his voice having a familiar lilting tone that reminded her of the language she heard the elves use, "Hello Lady Katherine, Lord Boromir. I trust your stay has been pleasant?"

While Katherine nodded and responded positively, Boromir simply grunted and gave a stiff nod. Confused, Katherine made a mental note to ask about it.

"I am glad to hear of it. I hope that it continues to be so," Aragorn responded, giving them both another nod of his head before continuing out of the garden.

Katherine had this stupid little smile on her face. _Simply talking to him makes me get butterflies…how embarrassing. _

"What do you see in that ranger?"

This wiped the smile off her face, and she turned to Boromir with a frown, "What do you mean? I didn't know he was a ranger…in fact, all I know is that he grew up here with Lord Elrond and that he's traveled a lot. And his name of course."

"Must I spell it out for you?" His tone was simmering with anger. "What draws your gaze and makes you smile in that way?"

"He…he's been nice to me so far, that's all," Katherine responded, gaping slightly. _Is Boromir jealous?_

"That is not all, for I see you are attracted to him." Boromir was struggling to keep his voice controlled. _What is wrong with me? Why am I reacting so strongly to her admiration of the ranger? I'm better than him in many ways, there is nothing to fear. Wait, what?_ His thoughts were whirling and he didn't know what he was feeling.

"I…I…" Katherine stuttered, unable to respond. "He…he is handsome." She managed to draw herself up, "Why does it matter to you?"

"It…it matters not. It was just a curiosity," he managed, but it didn't sound convincing in the slightest.

Katherine just wanted this awkward conversation to end, but she had to ask, "What is with the tension between you two? It was so obvious."

"We simply do not get along."

Sensing that was all he was going to say, she said, "Okay…well, I'm going to find Mereneth. She's decided to give me a tour of Rivendell. You…you can come if you like." Katherine didn't really want him to come, but she thought it would be rude not to offer.

Boromir seemed to pick up on that, "No, I will have to decline. I have some things to take care of." He didn't really, but he had no better excuse.

"All right then…I'm just gonna go now. If I don't see you, good luck at the counsel. Remember what I told you." Uncomfortable with any physical contact, she tried to force a smile and gave him a little wave.

As she walked, she reflected on what just happened. _Wow, that was awkward. The way that Boromir responded to just having small talk with Aragorn was very strange. He definitely seemed jealous, but why? Or maybe I read that completely wrong…I think maybe there's some animosity between the two already, and maybe it had nothing to do with me. Did he not like me interacting with Aragorn because of this dislike of the man in general? Maybe he doesn't trust him…Aragorn just seemed concerned about Boromir, not angry. They must have had at least one conversation gone wrong._

The thing was that Katherine actually felt a little happy about Boromir's concern for her. Not that he was in the right, but it was nice to see that he was at least looking out for her.

She met up with Mereneth at a fountain near the main courtyard, and she let the elleth distract her with pleasant conversation as they took a tour around the realm. They had brought some food with them for an early dinner, as Rivendell was very large and they both knew they wouldn't be back for dinner in the main hall.

Mereneth could tell something was on Katherine's mind, "Is everything all right Katherine?"

She turned to look at the beautiful elleth with a small smile, "Yeah, I'm perfectly fine, nothing to worry about."

"It is hard for me to believe you when it is so clear to me you are hiding something," Mereneth replied, giving her a look.

Katherine gazed forward, taking in the view of a waterfall not too far ahead. It was truly breathtaking. "Boromir acted a little strange earlier today. We ran into Aragorn in one of the small gardens and had a very short conversation. There was clearly some tension between the two men, and Boromir questioned me about my feelings for Aragorn, clearly acting jealous or protective." She shook her head, "It's very confusing."

Mereneth tried to hide a smile, "And what are your feelings regarding Lord Aragorn?"

"He's very attractive and has been kind to me in the brief interactions we've had. Honestly it's somewhat superficial, but I'm sure if I got to know him better, I would probably find more positive qualities," Katherine managed to say, albeit quickly and quietly. "I get these butterflies inside."

"Katherine…" Mereneth started, getting the woman's attention, "I must tell you that Lord Aragorn is promised to another."

Her eyes widened, and hand flying up to her mouth, "Oh no, what a fool I must look to him, staring at him with a silly smile on my face. If I may ask, who is this woman that he loves?"

"The Lady Arwen."

"Wow…I must pale in comparison to her in his eyes…I'm just a 20-something year old woman and she's hundreds or even thousands of years old...and of course her beauty makes me look plain." Katherine sighed, "She's very nice too…I can see what he sees in her."

"Katherine, it is better for you to hear of this now; you might have pursued him and had your heart broken after your feelings grew," Mereneth said wisely.

Katherine nodded, "You're right of course," as she managed to smile.

Mereneth was tempted to speak of her suspicions regarding Lord Boromir's visible feelings for Katherine, but decided it was not her place to do so. She knew they would both come to discover it eventually, and interfering might make things more difficult for them. There was no guarantee that Katherine would reciprocate those feelings anyway.

Of course Katherine would ask the question Mereneth didn't want to answer, "What do you think Boromir is thinking about me?"

"I do not know Lord Boromir well and it is difficult to glean what he is feeling; he seems able to mask his emotions well." What she was saying was true technically…she just chose to leave out anything else.

"Yeah that's true, he does that sometimes." Katherine frowned, "Although this time I could really seem to sense his barely controlled anger and protectiveness, as I said earlier. I wish I could get into his head!"

Conversation ceased for a short while as they continued to take in the view and breathe in the crisp air of autumn. Mereneth was the first to speak, "Come, and let us return you to your room. It has been a long day and I am sure you want to rest." Katherine seemed exhausted, emotionally and physically. Plus, she felt tired as well.

"Sure, that sounds like a great idea. Besides, all of my other friends are either at the council or off doing something else…I wonder if the hobbits were invited?"

"Well that is an interesting question…they seem very innocent to the world and its troubles, so perhaps Lord Elrond would not want them involved."

"What about the one who was injured? He brought something with them that they're discussing tonight. If any of them should go, it would be him." Katherine said, more so thinking out loud than talking to Mereneth.

The elleth guided them toward Katherine's quarters, as the woman had become lost in thought and only half paying attention to where they were going. _Much is on her mind. I wish I could fix everything for her but alas I cannot…only time will bring answers._


End file.
